


Oh My God They Were Coworkers

by barrisscoffees



Series: Harlivy Week 2020 [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, abuse tw, harlivy - Freeform, harlivy week 2020, they are co-workers at wayne enterprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:53:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25890142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barrisscoffees/pseuds/barrisscoffees
Summary: Pam wasn't a people person, and Dr. Harleen Quinzel was not going to be an exception.
Relationships: Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel
Series: Harlivy Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874503
Comments: 4
Kudos: 77





	Oh My God They Were Coworkers

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Harlivy Week! Day 4 - AU. Thanks again to Diana for arranging this! (blease i hate this title)

When Pam got her PhD in botany, the last place she expected to end up was in the basement of one of Wayne Enterprises’ many buildings. She was supposed to be reversing climate change, saving the planet (and maybe winning a Nobel Prize in the process). Pam wanted to be her own boss, living in the jungle discovering species. What she was  _ not _ supposed to be doing was reverse engineering a neurotoxin that Lucius refused to say where he got it. She was not supposed to be under the thumb of capitalist fuckwad, Bruce Wayne. Billionaires, she thought, should be guillotined. Pam was a hair’s breadth away from setting her research on fire with a bunsen burner when the door to her lab swung open.

Lucius was giving his introduction spiel which was not good news for Pam. The very last thing she needed was some idiot fucking up her concentration. Trailing Lucius, nodding attentively, was her new colleague, a woman with blonde hair pulled into a tight bun and glasses that were slipping down the precipitous arch of her nose.

“And this will be your workstation.” Lucius concluded. The room was small and shaped like a “U” that had fallen on its side. Ivy’s space was at the “top” of the “U,” a straight shot from the door. This new girl would have to walk around the counter that divided them to sit at the station Lucius had indicated.

“Pamela, this is your colleague, Dr. Harleen Quinzel.” Lucius said. Harleen made herself busy, shrugging off her lab coat and setting up her desk. Pam eyed her through the gaps in the shelves between them. When she finished, she went straight to work without saying a word. Maybe she wouldn’t be too awful to work with, Pam reasoned. After half an hour of Lucius hovering, he finally left the two women to their own devices. 

Harleen eyed the door for a couple beats before stretching and grinning at Pam through the shelves.

“Man, I thought he was never going to leave. You can call me Harley, by the way, no one calls me Harleen ‘cept the nuns at the orphanage.” Pam resisted the urge to slam her head against the desk.  _ Harley _ wasn’t so ideal after all.

“Pamela.” She replied. Pam’s icy demeanor did nothing to phase Harley, though.

“Nice to meet ‘ya, Pam-a-lamb.” She said. Pam excused herself to use the restroom before she could toss a conical flask at Harley’s head.

////

The next few months were hellish. Harley was prone to chattering no matter how silent or rude Pam was to her; she didn’t seem to understand the concept of a private life because before she knew it, Pam could tell you anything anyone might want to know about Harley. She was going on about the date she went on the night before when Pam snapped.

“Would you shut the fuck up, I don’t give a shit.” Pam punctuated her statement by slamming her palm on the table. The sound made Harley jump back and when Pam met her eye, well socially inept though she might be, Pam recognized the look of genuine fear in Harley’s eyes. In an instant, all of her anger melted away.

“I’m sorry Harley. That was cruel of me, I haven’t been sleeping and I’m on edge.” Harley relaxed so quickly Pam wanted to cringe again; she was so earnest and trusting. God knows how many people would take advantage of that. Pam wouldn’t let that happen, though.

“It’s okay, Pam-a-lamb, we all have bad days. Say, why don’t we get a drink after work.” Harley smiled earnestly at Pam. Who could say no to that face.

“Fine.” Pam said, casually as she could, but she knew perfectly well that Harley saw her smile.

////

Harley quickly became Pam’s best friend. They were good for one another: Harley made Pam open up, have fun and Pam kept Harley grounded. Much to Pam’s surprise, she realized she  _ didn’t _ know everything about Harley; no matter how much she talked, Harley never bragged. It wasn’t surprising to learn Harley had graduated summa cum laude, she was brilliant, but Pam nearly fell out of her chair when Harley mentioned her Olympic medals (two bronze, one silver).

Around Harley, Pam felt safe. She talked about how her parents were never around, how they cut her off when she told them she was a lesbian, how she had been abused by a professor she had trusted. Around Harley, Pam could cry; she never could do that around anyone else.

Harley also introduced Pam to her rather eclectic group of friends and her slightly disturbing roller-derby pastime – Pam was content to sit on the sidelines for that one.

For the first time in her life, Pam was happy. Not pleased with her work, not basking in the praise of her peers and superiors, just… happy. 

The only problem being, Pam was head over heels for Harley. What made it even worse was that she knew Harley felt the same way – she wasn’t exactly subtle, she had caught Harley staring at her mooney-eyed since their first week on the job. But she was happy, and being anything more than friends would ruin that. Pam had a bad track record of imploding every relationship she had been in. Harley meant too much for her and Pam was not willing to risk that.

////

Unfortunately, Harley didn’t seem to have the same reservations. Pam was leaning over Harley’s shoulder, checking her calculations, when Harley huffed impatiently. Pam pulled back in surprise,

“Harls is everything alright? Is that dick from apartment five harassing you again because I am serious about the whole poison thing if you want.” Harley just glared up at Pam. The expression wasn’t angry or even particularly annoyed, but her nose was wrinkled in that adorable way…

“Red,” Harley said, seriously. “Would you just kiss me already.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well! I had no idea how to end this. I suppose this is a bit more narrow in focus than I was hoping, but at least it's gay.
> 
> Of course, we have the obligatory shout out to my best friend Edith - homie, buddy, pal, I love you!!
> 
> Follow me on [tumblr](https://barrisscoffees.tumblr.com/)!


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